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Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food

Stress can lead to problems like insomnia, fatigue, relationship troubles and difficulty focusing at school or work. Sometimes, stress leads people to emotional eating; typically, this means eating large amounts of food in short periods of time in an attempt to escape strong emotions. Instead of eating, there are techniques that can be used to cope with the stress that can lead to binging.

  1. Write in a Journal

    • A journal provides a method for getting your thoughts out and relieving some of the stress that leads to binging on food. Not only will a journal help you to write about your thoughts on your day-to-day life, but you can use it whenever you feel the need to eat because of strong emotions. The journal could help you identify what you are feeling each time you have the urge to eat.

    Take a Bath

    • Warmth is useful in relaxing your muscles and bringing on a sense of tiredness. Run a warm bath with essential oils such as lavender or chamomile and lie in the tub with the lights dim. Light some candles for additional relaxing scents and a soothing atmosphere.

    Get a Massage

    • A massage helps to relax your body and mind and calm you when you are feeling emotional and having food cravings. Ask your loved ones for a massage or use a massage chair or handheld massager. Additionally, a professional massage once a month helps to prevent muscle tension and provides relaxation on a regular basis.

    Exercise

    • Exercise releases feel-good chemicals in your brain in addition to strengthening your muscles and boosting your good health. Work out whenever you are feeling stress or having cravings, and feel the benefits of the exercise instead of the guilt that can follow overeating. Go for a walk whenever you want to overeat and walk until the urge passes.

    Pursue Hobbies

    • A hobby, particularly one that occupies your hands, can help you to pass time and forget about your worries. Learning a new activity and improving your skills on a regular basis will help to improve your self-esteem and distract you when you would otherwise comfort yourself with food. Try sewing, knitting, playing video games or playing sports.

    Read

    • Read whenever you are feeling upset and need to self-soothe. Read a magazine, a book, or just search on the Internet and read about topics that interest you. Reading distracts your mind from the stress you're experiencing and keeps you busy until you forget about wanting to eat.

    Talk with Friends

    • Good friends are there for you when you need them and will often be willing to talk you through your desire to eat for comfort. Explain to a couple of good friends that you are experiencing emotional eating, and ask them if you can call them when you need support. Many will be more than willing to talk to you and may even come over to visit and help you distract yourself.

    Laugh

    • Find a way to make yourself laugh every day to help relieve stress and tension. Emotional eating is hard to overcome if you are constantly stressed out, so making time to laugh will reduce the chances that you need food for comfort. Find a funny book or website, or put on a comedy movie and allow yourself to forget about your problems.

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